Symptoms of Affection
by Ariados
Summary: NEJITEN Six years after she was put on Team Gai, Tenten is 18 years old and looking for what many girls wants at some point in her life. Neji Hyuuga's affection. And what's up with Hiashi making Neji marry soon and Neji's suspicious cold?


Haiiiiiiiii!! I'm in love with NejiTen at the moment. I just love this ship, so I thought I'd contribute my little bit. Constructive criticism is welcome, because I understand if you think I suck (Because I think that too). Just no flames please .

Ships at this stage (I won't spoil them): NejiTen, Hints of NaruHina.

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, Tenten would have more screen time.

Of all of the teams in Konoha, Team Gai had changed the least since they were put together. It had been six years now. Six long years. It had been that long since Tenten had been paired up with Neji the dux and Rock Lee the dunce, and then put under the care of none of other than the Clown Teacher, Maito Gai. Sometimes, Tenten wondered why on earth she had ended up on this team of all of them. She was no prodigy nor was she a stupid face, but she had still ended up on a team with all of the extremes. She was eighteen years old now, and she still hadn't worked out the answer to that question, but she didn't care, if anything, she felt as though she was the luckiest girl in the whole world to end up on such an awesome team.

And the team was still as awesome as ever. They hadn't changed at all. Today, six days on from the first day of training (One that involved much laughter, pointing and scarred lives), the team was still training together. Gai sensei still had the vision that by training, you could only get stronger. Whether you get it right or wrong during the actual training itself, it'll all contribute to making you a fighter. The same old motto hadn't changed; "Stronger than I was yesterday."

On a somewhat different note, sandwiches were nice. Well, the actual component of some pieces of meat stuck between bread and cheese wasn't really all that great, but eating it with company was nice. It took away the whole stale or soggy taste you might get, because you're satisfying your hunger without actually concentrating on the food. Or at least this was what Tenten thought, as she munched away on one. She sat on the floor eating it, a little anxious. She hoped Gai-sensei had not put anything a little odd into her sandwich, thinking it was some way to train her. Making her eat worms or something like that wasn't training in Tenten's eyes. He hadn't changed much at all. He still had the old rice bowl hair cut, the overlarge nose, the loud pep-talk voice and he still wore the green jumpsuit and most of all, he hadn't lost the uber-brows. Gai had already eaten seven of his own sandwiches, while Tenten had merely gotten through one.

"How can you eat so fast, Gai-sensei?" asked Tenten, rubbing some crumbs of her face and watching in awe as her teacher finished yet another sandwich.

"You cannot blame him," said Lee, raising a fist proudly. "With cooking like Gai-Sensei's, you cannot resist the urge to just keep eating."

Well this line wasn't surprising. Lee was still into the whole Gai-Worship thing, but he definitely had become more independent. While he was still all in for every thing that Gai said and did, Lee was starting to do his own thing now and incorporate Gai's ideas into his own somehow. For example, he had grown his hair out a bit at the back and the sides. What had once been the rice ball was now shaggier. He looked much more mature now, and come to think of it, he actually _was_ more mature now. Lee had just turned eighteen a month ago, but already he showed signs of growth and accepting himself as a bit more of a man. He was the tallest of the three of them, having outgrown Neji by a couple of inches. Nevertheless, despite his height and hair, Lee was still emotional at times, crying whenever he was either happy or sad or angry or scared. He still wore the jumpsuit too. And kept his own uber-brows. Whatever the changes, though, Tenten still loved him as a teammate, and she was always looking out for him, just like he was looking out for her.

Tenten had changed a bit too. She still wasn't as tall as either Lee or Neji, but she had gained some inches. She had changed her outfit too, having recently found some fondness for cute knee length dresses. Tenten loved wearing her little red dress which she was wearing right now. She rubbed some crumbs off it. Gee, this sandwich sure was crummy. Whatever wonky bread Gai had used, it didn't go very well with a toaster.

"Gai Sensei… these are nice, but how do you eat without getting these crumbs everywhere?" Tenten asked, continuing to brush the crumbs off her face. She finished her sandwich. Gai swallowed in a loud manner and gave a laugh.

"It takes training, Tenten. Just like everything else, maybe you should eat sandwiches more often, you know, get used to it, and then you'll be able to eat without spreading crumbs," he tossed her another sandwich, "Go on, eat some more,"

"Let's not," said Neji, putting his own sandwich in front of him the grass and heaving a strong cough. He turned around and looked away, maybe not wanting to look at Gai or anybody else right now. Neji had been a VERY touchy mood lately. Even worse than usual. Ever since his uncle had suggested that he got married some time soon. Not to mention that he had a cold as well. It was true, perfect, healthy, strong Neji had some how managed to catch the common cold. Tenten and Lee had suspected that it had something to do with the argument with his uncle.

It was a long story actually. Hiashi Hyuuga had developed some crazy theory that he would die some time soon and that Hinata had to produce an heir in the near future so that he could go down happy that his clan would go on forever or something like that. In any case, he had gone and told Hinata to go and pick any guy she wanted and that he would arrange a marriage between Hinata and this guy. Only problem was, Hinata didn't want to get married. Well, she did. She wanted to marry her boyfriend of two years, Naruto. But Hinata's father didn't know that Hinata and Naruto were going out, and Hinata figured that her father wouldn't be very happy if his daughter chose to marry some dunce and totally screw up the future of his whole clan. Hiashi had thought that Hinata was just a little too nervous and anxious to get married, and figured that if Hinata had some inspiration, she might just tie the knot. And for many years now, Hinata's greatest source of inspiration was Neji. Hiashi's theory was that if Neji got married, then Hinata would do the same. He had gone and suggested all of this to Neji, who just point blank refused, saying that he didn't have a girlfriend and there was no way he was getting married at the age of eighteen. This had turned into some large argument about love, war, Hinata's best interest, main clan, branch clan and all that jazz. Neji had stopped before his uncle had killed him or anything of that sort, but ever since that incident he had been sick, irritable and very moody.

Tenten knew that Neji usually did what his uncle said these days. It wasn't that he was scared of the main branch's power or anything, it was just that he was beginning to respect the other half of his family more. That was a good thing. Tenten's guess the reason Neji was refusing to tie the knot was because he didn't have a girlfriend yet. That position was yet to be filled.

The position of Lord Hyuuga Neji's girlfriend. A position many girls wanted, including Tenten. For the past six years, Neji had been the object of Tenten's affection. For somebody so intelligent, Tenten had found it a little odd how Neji seemed to be so oblivious to it, another thing which hadn't changed. He still looked exactly the same too. His dark brown hair still went down past his shoulders and was still tied in a loose ponytail. He also still wore loose robes and other rather comfortable clothes. Tenten loved his easy look though. He never tried hard to look good, it came so naturally. He wasn't like Lee or Gai with the complicated looks, he was just so easy going about the way he looked. Except maybe with his hair. It was still as shiny, silky and straight as ever. Tenten would give anything to be Neji's bride one day… When he was ready, of course.

She watched as Gai gave up on trying to feed Neji. Lee was giving Neji some dirty looks which plainly said, _"How can you refuse Gai sensei's sandwhiches?"_. She laughed, leaned over and picked up Neji's half eaten sandwich, placing it into the bag they were using for rubbish on their little picnic.

"I'm sure Neji just has a sore throat or something, he's already eaten a sandwich anyway… just leave him be," she said, giving Neji a little smile as she said it. Neji gave a small smile back.

"That's probably right. I'm full anyway," he said, before he started coughing again. He reminded Tenten of Hayate the exam proctor in a way.

"A sore throat?" said Lee, raising his eyebrows, "Gai sensei's sandwiches are bound to clear any illness! A sore throat it barely an excuse,"

"Haha, just let him be," said Gai, "I have to explain tomorrow's mission anyway,"

"A mission?" repeated Lee, instantly taking out his picked up his notepad and instantly began taking notes.

"Yes, it's a basic one however. A C-Rank. I figured that all four of us do need something easy for once, so I picked up a C-Rank. They're ranking everybody up so fast these days, everybody is taking the B's and A's… and Tsunade's building up on the lower missions. So, Why not take them? Anyway, we're going down to the Land of Wine tomorrow. We'll be spending a night there… nothing like the old camp out," said Gai, giving them all a cheeky smile.

"Yes, nothing like the old camp out!" Lee repeated, scribbling furiously. Tenten wasn't that into camping out. Especially in these odd, funny, unknown countries.

"We're going to collect some medicinal herbs for the Medical School. So, we'll meet at Ichiraku tomorrow and set out at about ten in the morning. You three can go now."

"Yes sir," said Lee, saluting. He began re-reading his notes, making sure he had everything right.

"Cool," said Tenten, giving a half-hearted thumbs up. She waited for Neji to leave as well. It was so convenient that the two of them lived in the same direction away from this place. They could walk home together. Neji just gave a nod and turned to move, but Gai held him back.

"Neji," he said, in a slightly lower voice, "If you aren't feeling very well, then you don't have to come on this mission. You're just coughing all over the place, and it's understandable if you want to have a lie in. We'll be walking a bit, and I don't want anything to happen, so…"

"Gai Sensei," Neji interjected, "I'll be fine…" he gave yet another cough, "I'm just not having a good day, that's all. It's just the change of the seasons, I think,"

Tenten gave a worried frown, but didn't turn to face him. Change of the seasons? In January? As if.

Heheh. Neji has a cold… I envy him. I want to sleep in and get free soup :(. Eh R/R, next chapter up when I get to it : ).


End file.
